Many people said that the Great Xia was blessed by divine beings.
Thus, the land was enriched with remarkable talents, and the civilization had flourished for thousands of years without decline.
The five provinces of Great Xia were all precious lands.
Which explained the incessant wars and frequent invasions from foreign tribes during the Great Xia Dynasty.
Though Si Fuqing herself dabbled in the mysticism of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, and had repeatedly encountered supernatural events, she never believed in gods, ghosts, or demons.
That was, until she met this Pixiu.
Books recorded that the Pixiu was a ferocious mythical creature, lucky in nature.
It could eat but couldn't excrete.
She had found it during her travels, intrigued by its rarity, and had decided to keep it as a pet.
And then she raised a spendthrift.
A good portion of her earnings went into feeding this foolish Pixiu.
But it had indeed brought her fortune and warded off evil.
Si Fuqing thought it followed her because she had the pure blood of the Great Xia.
Perhaps there were other mystical creatures like Baize and Zhongming in the world, but she hadn't encountered them.
How had this Pixiu crossed thousands of miles to come to her in Free State?
And how had it gotten injured and changed into this form?
Si Fuqing rubbed the small white dog's head and tentatively called out, "Fatty?"
The little white dog remained motionless and rolled its eyes at her.
Seeing this gesture, Si Fuqing chuckled coldly, "Bai, Jin, Yu!"
The little white dog immediately sprang up, barking joyously.
Si Fuqing: "…"
So it really was that foolish Pixiu she had raised!
It had refused the simple name 'Fatty' and had chosen the artistic name 'Jinyu,' even giving itself the surname 'Bai.'
"How did you know it was me?" Si Fuqing frowned, "Do you know I died, Little Bai?"
Little Bai nodded and then shook its head, appearing utterly bewildered.
"So you sensed that I wasn't dead? Our hearts resonate?" Si Fuqing pondered for a long time but couldn't come up with an explanation. "You truly are daddy's good daughter."
Little Bai was speechless.
It snorted.
This dog owner had started to show off again.
"But speaking of which, how have you become so small?" Si Fuqing lifted one of its paws, "You used to be able to carry me; now I could squash you with one slap."
Little Bai let out a few whimpers, licking her palm as if feeling wronged.
"Lost your powers?" Si Fuqing sighed, "Alright, stay with me for now. But I'm quite broke, so try not to eat too much."
Without its powers, the Pixiu was not much different from any ordinary domestic pet, except that it still understood human emotions.
Little Bai nuzzled her face and stretched out its small paw in a pleasing manner.
Si Fuqing grasped its paw and clicked her tongue, "But you're quite adorable now, so plump and fun to play with."
Little Bai: "…"
The reunion of owner and pet should have been a touching scene.
However, in Yu Tang's eyes, what unfolded was Si Fuqing earnestly conversing with a dog, exchanging barks and woofs.
Yu Tang: "…"
She's lost it. Si Fuqing has gone mad.
Panicked, Yu Tang quickly pulled out her phone and dialed Yu Xiheng's number. "Uncle Nine, I've failed you! Si Fuqing has lost her mind!"
On the other end, Yu Xiheng spoke in his usual calm tone, "Yu Tang."
His voice, devoid of any fluctuations, carried an inherent authority.
"Uncle Nine, I swear I'm not lying," Yu Tang whispered into the phone, "We found a dog without a butt, and Si Fuqing has been acting strange ever since."
With concise yet powerful words, Yu Xiheng replied, "One minute."
Yu Tang rapidly recounted the events of the day, "Uncle Nine, believe me!"
Yu Xiheng slightly raised his eyebrows.
He sat there, sipping his tea, as the steam lifted away the fleeting deep thoughts that crossed his eyes.
He understood Yu Tang's nature; though she was a bit dramatic, she would never lie about important matters.
This description led him to think of only one animal.
Pixiu.
How could such a spiritually enlightened creature appear in Lin?
"Be back by nine," Yu Xiheng responded indifferently.
"Don't worry, Uncle Nine!" Yu Tang exclaimed, "I'll make sure Si Fuqing is safely back with you, so you can hide her!"
There was a pause on the other end.
A second later, the man simply said, "Feng San."
Yu Tang wilted instantly, "I'm sorry, I won't joke anymore, please don't send me away, Uncle Nine."
She cautiously ended the call as the observation time also came to an end.
"Let's go," Si Fuqing picked up Xiao Bai cheerfully, "Daddy will take you for some fish."
Hearing this, Little Bai rolled its eyes and snorted a few times.
"Si Fuqing," Yu Tang pulled at her, looking serious, "Should we also visit a hospital?"
"Huh?" Seeing Yu Tang's concerned look, Si Fuqing cleared her throat, "Oh, I was just speaking 'dog language' with him."
"Dog language?" Yu Tang's eyes brightened, "That's amazing! What did it say?"
"It said—" Si Fuqing raised an eyebrow, "That it's very stupid and very ugly, and it loves to jump in mud puddles. It asked me not to despise it."
Yu Tang dryly replied, "Then it's not too bright, is it?"
Little Bai barked in indignation.
Si Fuqing slapped its head down, "Stop it, or I'll eat you."
Little Bai: "…"
The two soon arrived at their destination and were ushered in by the waiter.
The restaurant was quiet and secluded, with screens separating the tables.
Si Fuqing felt secure enough to remove her makeup.
Only then did Little Bai lazily turn its head to face her and barked approvingly.
Finally, she looked acceptable.
It had almost refused to recognize her before.
"What's the matter?" Si Fuqing glanced at it, "Do you have an opinion on my makeup skills?"
Little Bai: "…"
It wouldn't dare.
It licked its paw, looked around, and suddenly its eyes brightened.
Reaching out its paw to grab Si Fuqing's shoulder, it promptly bit off her necklace.
By the time Si Fuqing reacted, Xiao Bai had already swallowed the gold pendant.
Si Fuqing: "…"
She enunciated each word, "Bai, Jin, Yu!"
She was going to throw it out!
Little Bai innocently licked its paw, puffed out its chest arrogantly like an elegant lady.
"You waster!" Si Fuqing seized its leg, smiling, "Do you even know what you just ate?"
Little Bai blinked its eyes and nodded.
Gold, of course.
What else could it be?
"You knew and you still ate it?" Si Fuqing gritted her teeth, "That was earned from my hard work! Pure gold!"
Little Bai nodded again.
If it wasn't pure gold, it wouldn't even consider eating it.
Si Fuqing: "…"
She wanted to strangle this foolish Pixiu!
Suppressing her murderous intent, Si Fuqing took out her phone and sent a message to Yu Xiheng.
[Boss, can we negotiate? Instead of transferring money, can you just send me gold bricks?]
The reply came quickly.
[Boss]: Depends on your performance.
His answer was succinct, much like the man himself—noble yet deadly, inscrutable like a towering mountain.
Through the screen, she could almost visualize him working under the dim night, dressed in a simple shirt.
The man was as deep as the night, exuding an incredibly strong aura that made one feel secure.
Receiving the ambiguous reply, Si Fuqing lamented, "Bai Jinyu, get lost. I can't afford you."
Where would she find so much gold to feed it?
Little Bai nuzzled against her leg, lifting its front paws as if to bow.
"You'd have to go even if you tried to appease me," Si Fuqing took a deep breath, "Tell me, why do you, a dog Pixiu, only eat gold? What's wrong with copper? They used copper coins in ancient times too!"
Pixius are supposed to consume the wealth of the four corners of the earth and never excrete it.
If they eat other foods, they would lose their powers.
How had she ended up raising such an extravagant creature?
Little Bai shook its head, leisurely dipping its paw into some water and writing a few words on the table.
—Copper doesn't taste good.
"Okay," Si Fuqing gave a thumbs-up, "Even though you haven't regained your powers, you can write in Chinese. Impressive."
Little Bai: "…"
Its owner was a bit of a joke, wasn't she?
Little Bai digested the gold a bit and suddenly lifted its paw, pointing towards the screen behind them.
"Is something wrong with Tangtang?" Si Fuqing also heard the sound of arguing and narrowed her eyes, "Stay here, I'll go check."
**
Originally, Yu Tang had followed the waiter to select a fish in the back.
After making her choice, she moved to the self-service area to get some fruits and drinks when she was cornered.
"Yu Tang?" A voice tinged with coldness came through, "What are you doing here?"
Yu Tang turned around, startled, "Third Brother?"
It was Yu Yao.
He looked at her disapprovingly, "Uncle Five called yesterday to say you were missing, and you ended up coming to Lin on your own?"
"What's it to you?" Yu Tang's tone cooled, "Can't I come here for fun?"
"Grandpa is also looking for you. Why did you come to Lin on your own?" Yu Yao gripped her wrist, his eyes icy, "Come back with me to the city of Sijiu."
If it weren't for seeking the Heavenly Doctor Ghosthand, he wouldn't have stayed in Lin for so long.
Moreover, he didn't particularly want to encounter Si Fuqing. Seeing her heavily made-up face only increased his distaste for her.
Conveniently, he could take Yu Tang back to the Yu family.
"Let go of me," Yu Tang tried to wrest her hand free but failed. Seeing that she was about to be forcibly taken away, her eyes suddenly brightened, "Qingqing, I'm over here!"
Yu Yao's eyebrows furrowed even tighter, as he coldly turned his head.